Field Trip to Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) A Teacher’s Resource Guide Resource Guide Researched & Developed by Shruthi Shree Nagarajan, Curriculum Developer ​ Edited by Richard Haddock, Program Associate ​ ​ 1 Table of Content 1. What is the role of an Embassy? …………………………………………...2 a. Embassy Vs. Consulate …………………………………………………...2 b. The Role of an Ambassador - From the view of a U.S. Embassy……….3 2. About Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO).4 3. Teacher Guidance …………………………………………..………………....6 a. Learning Activity………………………………………………………..…6 b. Handout 1: Taiwan Maps………………………………………………..8 c. Handout 2: History of Taiwan-US Relationship……………..9-14 d. Handout 3: The US-Taiwan Relationship, 1994-Present…..15-20 e. Handout 4: Timeline: U.S. Taiwan Relationship………….. 21 f. Handout 5: List of U.S. Legal Documents………………… 22 2 What is the role of an Embassy? The United States, as well as many other countries, maintains embassy offices in countries all over the world. The office serves an important function in managing foreign relations between the home and host governments. Definition In the most basic terms, the "embassy" refers to both a diplomatic mission that is set up permanently in a host country and the actual building that is home to embassy offices. Purpose An embassy helps to preserve and protect the relationship between the host country and the country represented by that particular embassy office. The embassy can be a point of contact, or base of communication, between two countries. Embassy VS. Consulate Embassy Consulate ● An Embassy is the diplomatic ● A Consulate is the representation of the representation of a country's public administration of a country in a foreign government in another country, and city (not necessarily in the capital city). nearly always are located in a country’s ● Chiefly responsible for managing its own capital city. citizens living or traveling in the host country. ● It transmits messages of its home The most important duties of a consulate are: government to the government of the - to establish and renew passports and other host country and vice versa. official documents to report Births, Deaths, ● It informs its home government about Marriages, Divorces, Adoptions, etc. important political, social, economical, happened in the host country to the military and other events happening in competent authorities home. the host country. - to inform its own citizens living abroad of any ● It prepares international treaties and significant political, social, or security official state visits. developments that may impact personal ● It promotes its own home culture, safety. economy, and science in the host - to handle the military formalities and control country. for its own citizens liable to military service, ● The military attaché* is responsible for - to help its own citizens in distress or other contacts between the two armed forces emergency situations, and for arms business. - to look after its own citizens in detention or ● Many embassies (but not all of them) arrest and to watch over the rule of law and have a consular section exercising the fair trials, functions of a consulate. - to establish entry visas to foreign citizens and *Military Attache - an army officer to inform them about immigration-, residence- ​ ​ ​ serving with an embassy or attached as and work permits. an observer to a foreign army. 3 The Role of an Ambassador - From the view of a US Embassy In most countries with which it has diplomatic relations, the United States maintains an embassy, which usually is located in the host country's capital. The United States also may have consulates in other large commercial centers or in dependencies of the country. Several countries have U.S. ambassadors accredited to those who are not resident in the country. For example, Colonel Michael C. VanDeVelde received accreditation from the Government of Belarus as a non-resident Defense Attaché from the United States of America to the Republic of Belarus. In a few special cases–such as when it does not have full diplomatic relations with a country–the United States may be represented by only a U.S. Liaison Office or U.S. Interests Section, which may be headed by a Principal Officer rather than a Chief of Mission. The Chief of Mission — with the title of Ambassador, Minister, or Chargé d’Affaires — and the Deputy Chief of Mission head the mission’s “country team” of U.S. Government personnel. Responsibilities of Chiefs of Mission at post also include: ● Speaking with one voice to others on U.S. policy – and ensuring mission staff do likewise – while providing to the U.S. President and U.S. Secretary of State expert guidance and frank counsel; ● Directing and coordinating all executive branch offices and personnel (except for those under the command of a U.S. area military commander, under another chief of mission, or on the staff of an international organization); ● Cooperating with the U.S. legislative and judicial branches so that U.S. foreign policy goals are advanced; security is maintained; and executive, legislative, and judicial responsibilities are carried out; ● Reviewing communications to or from mission elements; ● Taking direct responsibility for the security of the mission — including security from terrorism — and protecting all U.S. Government personnel on official duty (other than that personnel under the command of a U.S. area military commander) and their dependents; ● Carefully using mission resources through regular reviews of programs, personnel, and funding levels; ● Reshaping the mission to serve American interests and values and to ensure that all executive branch agencies attached to the mission do likewise; and ● Serving Americans with professional excellence, the highest standards of ethical conduct, and diplomatic discretion. 4 About Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) ​ ​ The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the United ​ ​ ​ ​ States is the Republic of China (Taiwan)'s principal representative office in the United States. As such, TECRO in the United States is responsible for maintaining and developing bilateral relations between Taiwan and the United States. TECRO is headed as of 2020 by Representative Stanley Kao with support from Deputy Representative Christine Hsueh and Deputy Representative Louis Huang (TECRO website: ​ https://www.taiwanembassy.org/us_en/index.html). ​ TECRO oversees 11 offices known as Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices, or TECOs, in ​ Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle. TECRO Divisions/Units - The units are responsible for managing different aspects of the ​ bilateral relationship between Taiwan and the United States. a. The Political Division deals with political matters in relation to the Republic of China ​ (ROC) on Taiwan and the United States. It thus maintains contact with the U.S. executive branch, political parties, think tanks, scholars, experts, and relevant organizations. b. The Congressional Liaison Division promotes relations between the ROC on Taiwan ​ and the United States through regular contacts with the U.S. Congress and exchanges between the legislative bodies of the two countries. c. The Consular Division issues passports to ROC citizens and visas to people who wish ​ to travel to Taiwan. It also provides document authentication services. The division serves ROC nationals and Chinese-American communities in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, and the District of Columbia. The division also promotes relations with local governments in the aforementioned states and the District of Columbia. d. The Administrative Division handles administrative and logistical support for TECRO. ​ e. The Press Division promotes better understanding between the ROC on Taiwan and ​ the United States by providing information about Taiwan, explaining the policies of the ROC government, and promoting media cooperation and exchanges between the two countries. The director of the Press Division also serves as the spokesperson for TECRO. f. The Education Division promotes cooperation between educational and academic ​ institutions in the ROC on Taiwan and their counterparts in the United States. The division also promotes cultural exchange between the ROC on Taiwan and the U.S. and provides educational and cultural information about the ROC on Taiwan, especially as it relates to study opportunities in Taiwan. g. The Economic Division promotes economic and trade relations between the ROC on ​ Taiwan and the United States through contacts with the government and private sector in the United States. 5 h. The Science and Technology Division promotes cooperation between the ROC on ​ Taiwan and the United States in the fields of science and technology and assists in cooperative and exchange programs between the scientists of both countries. i. The Defense Mission handles defense and security affairs between the R.O.C. on ​ Taiwan and the United States and procurement matters in the United States as authorized by the Ministry of National Defense of the R.O.C. j. The Taiwan Academy is working on promoting Taiwanese culture, including visual art, ​ performing arts, museums, film, broadcasting, television, music, literature, publishing, cultural and creative industries, and so forth in the United States. k. The Culture Center of TECRO provides a variety of services for our expatriates in the ​ Greater Washington, D.C.